Washers and dryers account for 8 to 10% of the energy use in our homes and a significant amount of our water use. Let’s reduce that.
Heat pump dryers are rated ENERGY STAR’s most efficient dryers on the market, using roughly 75% less energy than a typical electric or gas dryer. They use heat pump technology to move heat rather than create it and have many other benefits including the elimination of venting to the outdoors. You will probably need a 240V outlet for a full-size dryer.
Heat pumps extract moisture from your clothes. Rather than generating heat with a gas burner or electric coils, a heat pump moves thermal energy from one area to another using a refrigerant and a condenser – like an air conditioner in reverse. Instead of venting the humid air outside, a ventless dryer circulates warm air within its self-contained system, eliminating the need for an exhaust vent. The loop cools the air down, pulls the water out of the air, and drains into a pan or a washer drain hose.
Energy savings can be up to 60%.
There are over 50 models from 12 different brands to choose from, including ventless heat pump combo units that wash and dry clothes all in one machine.
Heat pump washer-dryers are ventless and plug into a standard 120-volt outlet. That makes them easy to install and uninstall, perfect for renters or households with space constraints. The washer requires standard hot and cold-water hookups and a drain. But there’s no need to install a venting system or, in this case, a special 240-volt hookup. Many homes find space in a kitchen or bathroom or a closet nearby.
Manufacturers from GE to Samsung to LG have recently released combo washer + heat pump dryers that wash and dry a complete load of laundry. Early reviews of these products are very positive for their short cycle time, energy efficiency and because they reduce the required laundry appliances from two to one. That saves space in your laundry room and also means that no transferring of wet clothes from the washer to the dryer is required – you can load it once and come back when it is finished.
Combo washer + heat pump dryers became the number one selling front load washer last year and sold more units in their first months on the market than previous years of heat pump dryer sales.
